shares to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shares to" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts related to financial transactions or social media, but it requires additional context to be meaningful. Example: "The company shares to its investors the latest financial reports."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The disclosure caused Refco's shares to plummet.

The New York Times

The announcement caused ImClone shares to sink.

The New York Times

Banks can also sell more shares to become stronger.

The New York Times

Another avenue is to issue shares to the public.

The Economist

The idea was to offer shares to the public eventually.

The Economist

(Investors use borrowed shares to "short" or bet against stocks).

The New York Times

In 2012 the pair sold their shares to BBC Worldwide.

The Economist

She wanted the shares to be turned into cash.

The Economist

Morgan Stanley had just 63 million shares to exercise.

The New York Times

LinnCo will issue new shares to finance the deal.

The New York Times

The idea was to sell shares to residents.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the transfer of ownership, use precise verbs like "transfer", "allocate", "issue", or "sell" instead of "shares to" for better clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "shares to" as a direct replacement for verbs like "give", "distribute", or "allocate". It often leads to grammatically awkward sentences. For example, instead of "The company shares to employees", use "The company allocates shares to employees".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shares to" primarily functions as part of a larger phrase indicating allocation, distribution, or transfer of equity. It's often used in financial or business contexts. Ludwig AI indicates that it is not correct in standard written English and requires additional context to be meaningful.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shares to" frequently appears in news and business articles related to finance. However, it is often grammatically incomplete and requires a more precise verb like "allocate", "transfer", "issue", or "sell" to be fully correct. Ludwig AI identifies it as not correct in standard written English. While common, its lack of grammatical precision suggests using alternative phrasing for clarity, especially in formal contexts. Therefore, while the phrase is widespread, its proper use depends heavily on context and grammatical completion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sale of shares

This alternative refers directly to the act of selling shares in the market.

transfer of shares

This alternative specifically highlights the act of moving shares from one party to another.

allotment of shares

This alternative refers to the specific allocation of shares, especially in an IPO.

distribution of shares

This alternative generally describes the act of dividing and dispensing shares.

allocation of shares

This alternative focuses on the act of distributing shares, emphasizing the process.

offering of shares

This alternative highlights the availability of shares for purchase.

issuance of shares

This alternative emphasizes the creation and distribution of new shares by a company.

shares intended for

This alternative emphasizes the target or recipient of the shares.

assign shares

This alternative uses a verb to indicate giving shares to somebody.

convey shares to

This alternative use a more formal register and it's used for legal or official contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "shares to" correctly in a sentence?

While "shares to" isn't grammatically standard, it often appears in financial contexts. Rephrasing is usually better. For example, instead of "The company shares to its investors", consider "The company distributes financial reports "to its investors"".

What are some alternatives to the expression "shares to"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "allocation of shares", "issuance of shares", or "transfer of shares". Each emphasizes a different aspect of dealing with shares.

Is it grammatically correct to use "shares to" in formal writing?

Generally, no. In formal writing, it's better to use more precise and grammatically standard phrases. For example, replace "shares to employees" with "shares allocated "to employees"" or "shares distributed "to employees"".

What's the difference between "shares to" and "selling shares to"?

"Selling shares to" is a clear and grammatically correct phrase describing a transaction. "Shares to", used alone, lacks a verb and requires rephrasing for clarity and grammatical accuracy.